President Obama has released a Presidential Proclamation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, which reads as follows:

As progress spreads from State to State, as justice is delivered in the courtroom, and as more of our fellow Americans are treated with dignity and respect — our Nation becomes not only more accepting, but more equal as well. During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, we celebrate victories that have affirmed freedom and fairness, and we recommit ourselves to completing the work that remains.

Last year, supporters of equality celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, a ruling which, at long last, gave loving, committed families the respect and legal protections they deserve. In keeping with this decision, my Administration is extending family and spousal benefits — from immigration benefits to military family benefits — to legally married same-sex couples.

My Administration proudly stands alongside all those who fight for LGBT rights. Here at home, we have strengthened laws against violence toward LGBT Americans, taken action to prevent bullying and harassment, and prohibited discrimination in housing and hospitals. Despite this progress, LGBT workers in too many States can be fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; I continue to call on the Congress to correct this injustice by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. And in the years ahead, we will remain dedicated to addressing health disparities within the LGBT community by implementing the Affordable Care Act and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy — which focuses on improving care while decreasing HIV transmission rates among communities most at risk.

Our commitment to advancing equality for the LGBT community extends far beyond our borders. In many places around the globe, LGBT people face persecution, arrest, or even state-sponsored execution. This is unacceptable. The United States calls on every nation to join us in defending the universal human rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters.

This month, as we mark 45 years since the patrons of the Stonewall Inn defied an unjust policy and awakened a nascent movement, let us honor every brave leader who stood up, sat in, and came out, as well as the allies who supported them along the way. Following their example, let each of us speak for tolerance, justice, and dignity — because if hearts and minds continue to change over time, laws will too.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2014 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

The most exciting thing about Jason Collins’ coming-out announcement is the reaction of others. These days, it’s clearly uncool to be homophobic. Or to put it another way: Real men support gay rights. The President of the United States is a real man.

Chelsea Clinton
@ChelseaClinton
Very proud of my friend Jason Collins for having the strength & courage to be the first openly gay player in the NBA. bit.ly/ZLei9F
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The NBA said it supports Collins:

Atlanta Hawks
@ATLHawks
“We have great respect for Jason and his message today.” Our full statement on former Hawk Jason Collins: on.nba.com/ZZhF7n #NBAFamily
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Support for Collins has come from across the sports world, including Major League Baseball:

MLB
@MLB
The baseball world voices its support for @jasoncollins34: atmlb.com/ZLYgwk
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Boston Red Sox
@RedSox
We salute you, @jasoncollins34 for your courage and leadership. Any time you want to throw out a first pitch at Fenway Park, let us know.
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Nick Swisher
@NickSwisher
I will always support people for being who they are. Happy for @jasoncollins34 that he can lead an honest life.
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Changing his mind on an issue he initially said should be left to the states – President Obama said he could not imagine a circumstance in which a state banning marriage equality would be legal.

Today he said, “That’s part of the reason I said, ultimately, I think that, same-sex couples should be able to marry. That’s my personal position. And, frankly, that’s the position that’s reflected – in the briefs that we filed – in the Supreme Court.”

Obama in his second inaugural address said that the fight for gay rights would not be over until marriage was recognized in all states.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” he said, “for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”

The Obama administration is considering urging the Supreme Court to overturn California’s ban on marriage equality.

The President raised expectations among opponents of the Proposition 8 ban when he declared in his inaugural address that gays and lesbians must be “treated like anyone else under the law.” The administration has until Feb. 28 to intervene in the case by filing a “friend of the court” brief.

An administration brief alone is unlikely to sway the Justices but the federal government’s opinion does carry weight with the court.

We believe Leslie Knope would be pleased with the nominee to serve as Secretary of Interior (which manages the nation’s parks and natural resources.) President Obama’s nominee is Sally Jewell, CEO and President of REI, and major supporter of marriage equality in Washington State last year.

Ms. Jewell posted a blog to REI’s 11,000 employees last summer, saying that, “the benefits, legal clarity and societal understanding that [my husband] Warren and I have enjoyed these past 34 years should be available to any two people who want to express their love and make a permanent commitment to each other that is so clearly provided for in the legal definition of marriage.”

President Obama is urging the Illinois General Assembly to legalize marriage equality. State lawmakers will begin processing the measure as early as this week.

“While the president does not weigh in on every measure being considered by state legislatures, he believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect,” White House spokesman Shin Inouye told the Chicago Sun-Times.

President Obama has nominated Miami-Dade Judge William Thomas to serve on the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Thomas would be the first out LGBT black man to serve as a lifetime-tenured federal judge. In a statement, Obama noted the diversity of Thomas and six other nominees, saying, “They represent my continued commitment to ensure that the judiciary resembles the nation it serves.”

Thomas is the first out LGBT black judge to be nominated by Obama, but, if approved by the Senate, he would be the second out LGBT black judge. The first, Judge Deborah Batts, also was the first out LGBT federal judge. She was nominated by President Clinton and sat on the Southern District of New York bench. She took “senior status,” a near retirement, earlier this year.

President Obama endorsed state ballot initiatives to legalize marriage equality in Washington state, Maryland and Maine as he seeks to strengthen GLBT enthusiasm for his re-election. Five months ago, Obama became the first U.S. president to express support for marriage equality.

The GLBT community is seen as a loyal and potentially pivotal voting bloc for The President, along with larger demographic groups such as Hispanics and single, young women.

Six states and DC have already extended marriage rights, all brought about by court rulings and legislative action.

Maine, which rejected gay marriage in a 2009 referendum by 53 percent to 47 percent, could become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage solely by popular vote.

Ricky Martin is hosting a fundraiser for President Obama to thank him for his support of gay rights. The singer will team up with the LGBT Leadership Council and the Futuro Fund to host a benefit for the president at New York City’s Rubin Museum of Art in May. Martin wants Obama to win a second term, believing he will continue to show support for the LGBT community.